The Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology and Smart Farm University will host the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) workshop on Jan. 30 from 2-3 p.m. in the Center for Irrigation Technology Conference Room. 

The workshop will outline USDA/NRCS programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), their requirements, technical assistance, required forms and regional block grant distributors and resources.

The event is free and put on by Yissel Martinez, the outreach coordinator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is open to farmers and ranchers of all experience levels.  

The agenda for the workshop includes an overview of the organization’s history and mission, conservation plans, resource concerns and conservation practices. It will then cover financial assistance programs, including EQIP, Regenerative Pilot Program and CSP, along with eligibility requirements and the five steps of assistance. 

The presentation will conclude with helpful tips for navigating the process with real-world scenarios and examples of farmers who have been through these programs.

NRCS strives to ensure equal access to its programs and services, prioritizing outreach to underserved and socially disadvantaged farmers, ranchers and tribal communities statewide. The vision of NRCS Outreach is to help people help the land, and equally provide access to information and Farm Bill programs. 

The Smart Farm University project is hosting a series of monthly workshops to provide education, training or assistance to farmers and ranchers in the Central Valley. These are free workshops open to all with any experience level.